Word up. For sticklers of accuracy, the train that I drew in the comic was Fred’s first Campbell’s Soup Train. The one that’s on the inside front cover of “Subway Art”. Which is also where I got Lee’s, Martha’s and Henry’s reference for attire.

Huh. No shit. That’s pretty funny actually. You create a moniker all on your own. Someone else comes in and because they messed it up while reaching a wider audience, you change your moniker and embrace the change.

Maybe it’s not the same in hip-hop as other subcultures, where you build around your name or rather something is built while known by an alias. I was watching a local dance/hip-hop show and after a couple people/groups performed, there was a short chat segment. The host asked the guests how many names they had gone by and all the people on this show had between 3 or 5 other “stage” names before their current incarnations. And as I just learned, Bull99 became Fred Fab 5, so maybe it was no big deal to change to Fab 5 Freddy. Interesting. I’d say you don’t see many major acts changing names, but then there’s Sean Combs. Even Snoop was once Snoop Doggy Dogg and then Snoop Dogg. So what do I know. I’ve seen many bands change names as members come and go, but the band member themselves usually don’t their individual identity.

(Standing in an art gallery) “Man, the stuff this Lichtenstein did… (goes home, gets changed and goes out again) …ain’t no different than when a cat paints a fly Vaughn Bode character on their burner”. Looks like Fred can hold a train of thought pretty well!